Elevator car construction



April 13, 1954 L. c. MUSILLI ELEVATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION I 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed July 51 1950 April 13, 1954 v| c. MUSILLI 75,137

ELEVATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 31, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IEIEZQ E3INVENTOR. 100/: C Mus/1a Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES" PATENTOFFICE ELEVATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Louis C. Musilli, Detroit, Mich.,

Application July 31, 1950, SerialNo. 176,840

7 Claims.

This invention relates to elevator cars and refers more particularly toimprovements in elevator cars employed for industrial use.

It is an object of this invention to provide an elevator car with a loadsupporting floor which is movable from one side of the car to the otherto enable readily shifting the load. In accordance with this inventionthe floor of the car is actually in the form of a flexible endless beltcapable of being driven in opposite directions to shift the loadsupported thereby to different positions in the car without actuallyhandling the load.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent asthis description proceeds, especially when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammatic view of an elevator car embodying thefeatures of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the car shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section of a part of thecar shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an elevational view partly in sec tion of a part of theelevator car construction;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the construction shown inFigure 5;

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic plan view of the elevator car; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a part of the doorconstruction for the car.

The elevator car is indicated generally in Figure 1 of the drawings bythe numeral 10 and forms a unit in itself. The arrangement is such thatthe car may be operated in a shaft located within the buildingstructure, or may also be operated within an auxiliary shaft which iserected exteriorly of a building. In any case the elevator car isprovided with a rigid rectangularly shaped horizontal frame structure Hand a vertical frame structure H2. The two frames are formed ofsteelbars of any suitable cross sectional contour, and are rigidly securedtogether by welding or some equivalent method to form a unitaryassembly.

The front side of the elevator car is indicated generally by the numerall3, and the rear side is designated by the numeral M. As shownparticularly in Figure 1, the front side I3 is dividedinto two openingsl5 and It by a division bar ll of the vertical frame structure. The

opening I lie normallyclosed by a sectional door I! and the opening I6is closed by a similar door It. Both doors are: formed O!f a pluralityof sec tions suitably hingedly connected together, in order to enablemovement of the doors along the curved path of travel provided bychannels I9. The channels 19 are shown in Figure 2 as having verticalsections 28 locatedat the front side l3 of the car and as havinghorizontal sections 2| extending inwardly at the top of the car. The twosections 28 and 2! areintegrally connected by an arcuate section 22. Inpracticea channel I 9 is provided at each side edge of the two doors androllers 23 are supported atthe side edges of the doors in positions torespectively engage within the channels it. The arrangement is such asto permit the two doors tobe independently moved to open and closedpositions.

The rear side 54 of the elevator car is also divided into two separateopenings, and these openings are independently closed by doors 24 and25; The doors 24 and 25 are identical in construction to the doors I1and i8, and are guided throughout their movements by channels 26identical to the channels [9 previously described; Thus the doors atopposite sides of the elevator may be quickly moved independently of oneanother to open and closed positions.

The sides of the car 10 adjacent the sides l3 and [4 may be permanentlyclosed by suitable side walls attached to the vertical frame structurel2, or may be open. In the present embodiment of the invention, thesides of the elevator car adjacent the sides 13 and I l are open, anddoors 2'! of the overhead type are provided for closing these sides. Thedoors 21 are preferably identical in construction to the doors ll, 18,and. are mounted in the same manner as the latter doors.

The elevator oar H] has a load supporting floor 30 which is movablebetween the side openings l3 and I4 in order to facilitate loading andunloading of the elevator car with a minimum amount of handling of theload. As shown in Figure 4 of the drawings the floor 3% comprises anendless belt 3! of flexible material which extends from the side openingIt to the side opening it, and is movable in opposite directions towardand away from these openings. The width of the beltapproximates thewidth of the elevator car so that the top section 32 of the beltactually forms the complete floor for the elevator.

Referring again to Figure 4 of the drawings, it will he noted. that theends of the belt 3i are reeved around drums 33 respectively journaled onthe frame ll adjacent the openings 53 and M. Inasmuch as the belt is ofa flexible nature, the top section 32 is supported throughoutsuhstantially its entire length by a multiplicity of rollers 34 havingtheir axes extending parallel to the axes of the drums 33. The oppositeends of the rollers 34 are journaled on the frame structure l I in suchclose relationship that the rollers cooperate to provide a substantiallycontinuous support for the top section 32 of the belt 3i.

The belt 3| is driven by a pair of driving drums 35 journaled on arectangular subframe 3B suspended at the corners from the horizontalframe II by vertical hangers 37. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawingsthe drums 35 are secured to a common shaft 38 in axial spacedrelationship, and the opposite ends of the shaft 38 are journaled on theframe 36 in a position to locate the driving drums 35 midway between thedrums 33.

The driving drums 35 respectively cooperate with a pair of drums 39 tofrictionally grip the bottom section of the belt 3] therebetween. The

. drums 39 extend between the top and bottom sections of the belt andare supported on the frame structure H for rotation about axes parallelto the axes of the drums 33. It is also pointed out that the drums 39assist in supporting the top section 32 of the belt in a horizontalposition. In order to maintain the belt in a taut condition, suitableidler rolls lil are supported on the frame structure H in positions torespectively engage the bottom section of the belt between the drums 33and 39.

In order to drive the drums 33 a pair of reversible electric motors 4!and 42 is provided. These motors are respectively supported on thesubframe 33 at opposite sides of the drums, and are wired to rotatetheir drive shafts 53 in opposite directions. The drive shafts 43 areselectively coupled to driven shafts M through the medium of clutches 45which may be of any suitable construction and are preferably of the typecapable of being automatically operated from some remote point. In anycase the inner ends of the shafts 44 have bevelled pinions i-i securedthereto, and these pinions mesh with a bevelled gear 48 secured to theshaft 38 intermediate adjacent ends of the driving drums 35.

In normal use only one motor is employed for driving the drums 35, andthe other motor is held in reserve. However, in the event the load onthe belt 3| is excessive, both motors may be employed for the purpose ofdriving the belt.

The subframe 33 is vertically adjustable relative to the frame l l inorder to vary the pressure applied to the belt by the driving drums 35.As shown in Figures and 6, suitable brackets 50 are secured to the lowerends of the members 31 and are provided with vertically extending slots5|. The subframe 36 is provided with pins 5?. at the corners whichextend through the vertical slots 5! and are respectively engaged bywedges 53. The wedges 53 are slidably supported on the brackets to andare adjusted by suitable studs 54. The arrangement is such that rotationof the studs 54 in a direction to move the wedges 53 inwardly raises thesubframe 36 and increases the pressure of engagement of the drums 35with the bottom section of the belt 3|.

It follows from the foregoing that the elevator car has a movable floorwhich not only facilitates loading and unloading of the car, but alsoenables shifting the loadv to different posiless belt reeved over saiddrums with the top section of said belt providing a load supportingfloor for the car, a plurality of rollers supported on said frame injuxtaposition with the axes thereof extending parallel to the axes ofsaid drums and positioned between said drums in load supporting relationto the said top section of said belt, and means for driving said belt,said belt driving means comprising a prime mover, and a driving drumlocated below the bottom section of said belt in frictional contact withsaid bottom section, at least one of said belt supporting drumscooperating with said driving drum to frictionally clamp the adjacentportion of said belt therebetween.

2. The elevator car set forth in claim 1 in which said driving drum ismounted on a vertically adjustable subframe supported by said framestructure, said subframe and frame structure being formed with portionshaving vertically elongated slots in the one respectively engaged bypins on the other, and cam means slidably supported by said slottedportions and respectively engageable with said pins to provide verticaladjustment of said subframe relative to said frame structure, thereby tovary the pressure applied to said belt by said driving drum.

3. An elevator car comprising a frame structure having side enclosingwalls, a plurality of drums rotatably supported on said frame structurebelow the floor level of the car with the axes of said drums generallyhorizontal and mutually parallel, a flexible endless belt reeved oversaid drums with the top section of said belt providing a load supportingfloor for the car, a plurality of rollers supported on said frame injuxtaposition with the axes thereof extending parallel to the axes ofsaid drums and positioned between said drums in load supporting relationto the said top section of said belt, and means for driving said belt inopposite directions, said drums and rollers extending from one side wallof the car to the other, said belt occupying substantially the entirearea defined by the side walls of the car, and at least one of the wallsadjacent the ends of the path of travel of said belt being movable toopen position to expose said belt for loading and unloading.

4. An elevator car comprising a frame structure having side enclosingwalls, a plurality of rolls rot'atably supported on said frame structurein juxtaposition below the floor level of the car with the axes of saidrolls generally horizontal and mutually parallel, a flexible endlessbelt reeved over said rolls with the top section of said belt providinga load supporting floor for the car, and means for driving said belt,said rolls extending from one side Wall of the car to the other, saidbelt occupying substantially the entire area defined by the side wallsof the car, andat least one of the walls adjacent the ends of the pathof travel of said belt being movable to open position to expose saidbelt for loading and un loading.

5. An elevator car comprising a frame structure, a plurality of rollsrotatably supported on said frame structure in juxtaposition below thefloor level or" the car with the axes of said rolls generally horizontaland mutually parallel, a, flexible endless belt reeved over said rollswith the top section of said belt providing a load supporting floor forthe car, and means for driving said belt, said belt driving meanscomprising a prime mover, and a driving drum located below the bottomsection of said belt in frictional contact with said bottom section, atleast one of said rolls cooperating with said driving drum tofrictionally clamp the adjacent portion of said belt therebetween.

6. An elevator car comprising a frame structure having side enclosingwalls, load supporting floor structure comprising a plurality of rollsrotatably supported on said frame structure below the floor level of thecar with their axes generally horizontal and mutually parallel, saidrolls being arranged at spaced intervals from one side wall to theopposite side wall, a flexible endless belt reeved over said rolls withthe top section of said belt providing a load supporting fioor for thecar, and means for driving said belt in opposite directions, said beltoccupying a major portion of the area defined by said side walls, and atleast one of said side walls adjacent the ends of the path of travel ofsaid belt being movable to open position to expose said belt for loadingand un loading.

7. An elevator car as defined in claim 6 in which both of the oppositeside walls adjacent the ends of the path of travel of said belt aremovable to open position to expose said belt for loading and unloading.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 860,622 Bannerman et al. July 23, 1907 1,486,275 Becker Mar.11, 1924 1,626,041 Kyle et al Apr. 26, 1927 1,629,771 Young May 24, 19271,955,959 I-Iarnischfeger et a1. Apr. 24, 1934 2,081,178 KullerstrandMay 25, 1937 2,413,339 Stadelman Dec. 31, 1946 2,458,402 Myers Jan. 4,1949 2,510,573 Gray June 6, 1950 2,536,412 Bamford Jan. 2, 19512,553,964 Eggleston May 22, 1951 2,583,471 Collis Jan. 22, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 577,734 Great Britain May 29, 1946

